Public Transit in the GTA, Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

A Brief History of the TTC's ex-TRC Cars

On September 1, 1921, the city-owned Toronto Transportation Commission was launched to take over the operations of all streetcar service within the borders of the City of Toronto. It immediately acquired the assets of the Toronto Railway Company (whose 30-year franchise with the city expired the day before) and the Toronto Civic Railway (which was established by the City of Toronto in 1911 to serve areas of the city the TRC refused to). A few years later, after negotiations, the TTC acquired most of the remaining assets of the Toronto & York Radial Railways (serving the villages along Lake Shore Boulevard, Yonge Street and Kingston Road) and the Toronto Suburban Railway (operating out of the West Toronto Junction.

You can read a brief history of the early days of public transportation operation in Toronto at this page here. Suffice it to say, when the TTC took over streetcar operations in Toronto, the city had seen sixty years of streetcar operations. From when it started operations on its 30 year franchise in 1891 to the end of its franchise in 1921, the Toronto Railway Company had built a network of 142 miles of track, several properties, and 830 service cars (709 motors and 121 trailers). Many of these assets showed signs of lax maintenance and heavy use as the TRC squeezed every dollar it could out of its final days of operation.

Though the TTC worked diligently and spent a lot of money acquiring new properties and equipment (including the first all-metal streetcars on the network, the Peter Witts), these cars could not arrive instantaneously. And even as the TTC’s 350 Peter Witt streetcars arrived on the system, the TTC still felt that it had to use a number of cars from the systems it acquired in order to maintain service. Some streetcars were still in usable shape, while others could be easily rebuilt. Using the older equipment saved the TTC hundreds of thousands of dollars by reducing the number of new equipment that the commission had to purchase.

The cars the TTC acquired from the TRC lasted in service for a number of decades, while others lasted even longer serving the TTC’s work fleet. Still others survive to this day. This is the story of these cars.

Cars to Keep, and Cars to Scrap

The TTC acquired 830 service cars from the Toronto Railway Company on September 1, 1921. These ranged in age from four-year-old double-truck streetcars to twenty-eight-year-old former horsecars. All of these cars were largely wooden-frame. All but two had been built by the Toronto Railway Company itself.

The TTC accepted these cars, but immediately divided them into two groups: one group (which tended to be older) were marked for removal as soon as possible. The other were retained for long-term use. These cars tended to be newer (the oldest had been built by the TRC in 1906) and tended to be longer and bigger (typically double-trucked). A total of 351 cars out of the original 830 were deemed suitable, while the others limped along until arriving Peter Witt cars allowed the TTC to retire them from service.

Five TRC cars in the “dispose of” group were saved from the scrap heap, however. Car #64 was a former horsecar built by the “Jones” in 1879. It was converted to electric operation by the TRC in 1893, and so was forty-two-years-old when the TTC acquired it. The TTC retired it from service in 1921, but retained it as a relic. It was later donated to the National Museum of Science and Technology in Ottawa. A similar fate occurred to Car #306, built in 1892 by the TRC as an open-car that was converted to closed operation when open cars were banned by Toronto. The TTC retired the car but saved it as a relic in 1921.

Two other cars were retained as work cars by the TTC. Cars 1704 and 1706 were part of a double-truck class built by the TRC in 1912. These weren’t in the best of condition, however, leading the TTC to abandon all but the mentioned cars in 1924. Car 1704 was preserved as a rail grinder and renumbered W-25 before eventually finding its way to the Halton County Radial Railway. Car 1706 was eventually donated to a museum in East Haven, Connecticut.

The last car of the “dispose of” list to be retained was car #170. This was a former trailer built by the TRC in 1909, before being converted to a bond test car in 1911 and finally a private car in 1919. The TTC retained this vehicle and converted it to an instruction car in 1922. It remained in the fleet until 1939, when it was sold for scrap.

New Life in Haileybury

A use was found for many of the old TRC cars — especially the former horsecars — that the TTC wanted scrapped, although this was not something anybody would have wanted to have planned. On October 4, 1922, a wildfire swept through northern Ontario, consuming 300,000 acres from Charlton to Cobalt and from the Quebec border to the Montreal River. The community of Haileybury was almost completely destroyed, with hundreds left homeless. It was decided that the old TRC equipment could be used as emergency shelters and dozens of them were shipped north where they were converted into impromptu cottages and homes. One of these cottages now lies preserved in the Haileybury Heritage Museum.

In the first five years after the TTC’s takeover, the commission’s fleet of TRC vehicles dropped from 830 to 409. Of the remainder, these continued to provide base service through the 1920s and the 1930s. Another 55 vehicles (numbered 1564 to 1710, even only) were retired in 1929. By 1939, the number of TRC vehicles in the fleet was down to 252. The Second World War may have slowed the pace of retirement, but by then most of these cars were approaching thirty years old or were older. Made of wood, they were less able to take the pounding of passengers. And by 1938, a new vehicle would spell their eventual doom.

Decline and Disappearance

By 1924, the steel Peter Witt cars bought to usher in the TTC’s era of modernity numbered 350 strong, and there that number stayed. With the TTC’s total streetcar fleet numbering over 1000 streetcars, the commission had enough to service its passengers, especially as the Great Depression hit, and ridership fell. By the mid 1930s, however, the TRC cars were showing their age, and a new model of streetcar entered production in the United States. The Presidents Conference Committee car, designed through a committee of streetcar company presidents to take back ridership from the private automobile, started impressing passengers in many American cities with its sleek modern lines and streamlined appearance. The TTC ordered 140 of these streetcars, which were delivered by the end of 1938. Another 50 followed two years later. With the TTC’s PCC fleet numbering 250 by the height of the Second World War, the oldest and most run-down TRC cars started to be scrapped.

The need for more equipment to serve an increase in passengers during the war kept a number of the older vehicles on the road. However, when the Second World War ended, the TTC purchased PCC cars in earnest, and the days of the old wooden trams were numbered. The TTC had 195 TRC cars at the end of 1945. By 1948, that number had dropped to 101. By 1950, only 40 cars remained, and most were relegated to rush-hour extras.

Retirement and Preservation

As the final 40 TRC cars were retired, a group of railfans realized they had to move fast in order to preserve a vanishing piece of Toronto’s streetcar history. Pooling their resources, they formed the Ontario Electric Historic Railway Association and purchased TRC car #1326, an O-1 class double-truck vehicle built by the TRC in 1910. They also purchased other equipment, as well as a portion of the Toronto Suburban Railway’s right-of-way in Halton County between Toronto and Guelph (which had been taken over by the local township for non-payment of taxes). The equipment was trucked to the site in 1957, and preserved in sheds for future rehabilitation. These vehicles proved to be the kernel around which the Halton County Radial Railway would form and prosper.

Although most of the TRC’s equipment was scrapped, other pieces of equipment were preserved. In addition to car #306 and #64 (preserved at the Museum of Science and Technology in Ottawa), the HCRY was able to acquire former TRC work equipment, including car #1704, used as rail grinder W-25 from 1925 until its retirement in 1962. The museum also acquired single-trucked open car #327, although this was not the original (built in 1893), but a replica built using the original’s parts as part of the TTC’s contribution to Toronto’s centennial celebrations in 1934. The car remained as a relic on TTC property until 1967 when it was donated.

By the mid 1950s, the Toronto Transit Commission had divested itself of all of its passenger cars dating from before the 1920 takeovers. Its passenger fleet was solely made up of TTC-bought PCC and Peter Witt streetcars. Save for a handful of equipment operating as part of the TTC’s work fleet, the TTC’s early history was now in museums.

The ex-TRC Fleet Image Archive

An official blueprint of the TTC's ex-TRC pay-as-you-enter streetcars, circa 1946.

An official blueprint of a TTC ex-TRC pay-as-you-leave streetcar, circa 1946.

TTC ex-TRC car #306 (a former open car) sits at St. Clair carhouse in September 1954. The car has been retained as a relic, and appears to be undergoing some restoration. The photograph is by L. Swanson and is from the John Knight collection)

Closed-body Toronto Railway Company car #324 is seen at a yard with other TRC cars, bearing a HARBORD route sign. Built in 1892, this A-2 class car was inherited by the TTC, but was scrapped within weeks of the takeover. This photo, circa 1900, is courtesy the Toronto Archives.

This shot was mislabeled by this Library and Archives Canada photograph as Toronto Railway Company streetcar #325. John Bromley corrects the record, pointing out that it's actually #326. In his words, "TRC cars used even numbers for closed cars and odd numbers for open cars, a well-known tradition. TTC used a variation by saving odd numbers for un-motored trailers. The tradition was not eliminated until the PCCs came in 1938." The shot was originally taken in 1895. Car #326, a compatriot of #327, never served on the TTC.

Halton County Radial Railway crewmember (James Bow) puts the brakes on replica TRC open car #327 during a cloudy summer day in 1998. Photo by Sean Marshall.

Toronto Railway Company single-ended double-trucked streetcar #632 is seen bearing a YONGE route sign at Front and Sherbourne in this 1913 shot. The Toronto Railway Company built this car between 1899 and 1900. The class was retired soon after the Toronto Transportation Commission took over, and was certainly out of service by 1923. The photographer is unknown and the image is courtesy the John Knight collection.

TTC ex-TRC streetcar #1312 (built in 1910, retired 1948) rests with other wooden colleagues at St. Clair Carhouse in this August 1947 shot by W.C. Whittaker.

TTC ex-TRC car #1316 rests at St. Clair carhouse on August 20, 1949. This image was taken by Charly's Slides and is courtesy the John Knight collection.

TTC ex-TRC car 1352 heads for Sunnyside loop in QUEEN service in this late 1940s, early 1950s shot. The track it is crossing is Roncesvalles loop, used by LONG BRANCH streetcars to cut from Lake Shore Road through Roncesvalles carhouse on its way back to Long Branch. Reflected in its front window is a Gray Coach bus. The photographer is unknown.

TTC ex-TRC cars #1382, 1450 and 1438 rest at Russell Carhouse in the winter of 1951. This photograph is by James Victor Salmon and is courtesy the Toronto Archives.

TTC BB-class ex-TRC double-truck car #1406 heads west along King Street towards Bay, past the American Airlines office in May 1950. Car #1406 had been rebuilt in 1932 into a one-man operation, front entrance and exit with a rear treadle-operated exit door. Norman Rolfe photographer.

TTC ex-TRC streetcar 1428 heads east on Queen in QUEEN service, while Peter Witt car 2408, operating southbound on Bay in COLLEGE service, looks on. You are looking northwest towards what today would be Nathan Phillips Square. This image, courtesy the Toronto Archives, originally appeared in the July 25, 1922 edition of the Globe (page 13) with the caption "A DANGER POINT IN CITY TRAFFIC; b.: Need of an "island" or other protection at curve from Teraulay into Queen, in front of City Hall, is shown by above photograph."

TTC BB-class ex-TRC car #1436 awaits its fate along with a compatriot at George Street scrapyard on April 26, 1948. The photographer is unknown; the photo is from the Dave Shaw collection.

TTC ex-TRC car #1488 poses at Danforth carhouse in this summer shot circa 1950. This photo is from from the Al Chione collection.

TTC ex-TRC BB-class car #1532 (built in 1911) pauses eastbound on Bloor, passing Bay Street in CHURCH service in this 1929 shot courtesy the Toronto Public Library.

TTC ex-TRC vehicle #1562 poses at Asquith loop at the north end of the CHURCH streetcar on April 13, 1931.

Ex-TRC streetcar #1638 (?) heads westbound on Queen, preparing to turn south at Church Street in WINCHESTER service on October 5, 1921, a month after the Toronto Transportation Commission takeover. This photograph is courtesy the Toronto Archives.

TTC ex-TRC single-end convertible car #1706 was preserved at the Shore Line Trolley Museum at Branford, Connecticut. It's seen here operating at that museum on May 25, 1968. Photo courtesy the C. Dunnellon collection.

Ex-TRC streetcar #1798 is seen here operating on the TTC's ST. CLAIR route eastbound at Oakwood on September 4, 1927. The photographer is unknown and the image is courtesy the John Knight collection.

"Stop - End" indeed. TTC ex-TRC cars #1798 and 1804 sit at an industrial yard off Cherry Street, in the process of being scrapped. The photographer was taken by James Victor Salmon on February 4, 1951. A copy of this image resides in the Toronto Public Library as TPL image S1-1626, but the image itself is from the Dave Shaw collection. Thanks to Pete Coulman for identifying the photographer.

TTC ex-TRC car 1832 sits in the newly built Humber Loop in 1922. The image is courtesy the Toronto Archives, and it originally appeared in the Globe, July 27, 1922, with the caption "DREAM COME TRUE AT LAST; b.: Street cars of city of Toronto extended their service to the Humber yesterday along the new Sunnyside improvements, thus bringing the beach and amusements in reach of whole city for one fare. Date Created year accurate; month and day unknown for 1922."

TTC BB-class ex-TRC double-truck car #1838 heads southeast on King Street, after passing the Queen/Roncesvalles intersection in this 1950 shot. The photographer is unknown.

TTC BB-class ex-TRC motor #1914 (built in 1912, scrapped by the TTC in 1950) prepares to leave Coxwell loop at Danforth Avenue for a run on the COXWELL streetcar line. The photographer of this circa 1940s shot is unknown, and the image is from the Dave Shaw Collection.

TTC ex-TRC car #1966 crosses Sherbourne Street bridge in this 1940s shot. The photographer is unknown, and the photo is from the Dave Shaw collection.

TTC BB-class ex-TRC car #1978 (built by the TRC in 1912-3, and scrapped in 1949-50) picks up passengers on the Sherbourne Street bridge just north of Bloor Street East. The date is unknown (but has to be 1947 or earlier), and the photographer is unknown. The photo is from the Dave Shaw collection.

TTC C-2 Class ex-TRC car #1986 sits on blocks in a farmer's field north of Cheltenham, Ontario on May 24, 1951. The photographer is unknown, and the photo is from the Dave Shaw collection.

TTC C-2 Class ex-TRC car 1998 sits in George Street Yard on October 9, 1949, awaiting the scraper's torch. The photographer is unknown, and the photo is from the Dave Shaw collection.

TTC ex-TRC BB-class car #2000 heads north on Sherbourne, crossing Carlton, on April 23, 1923. This is the last days of the BELT LINE streetcar. That summer, the route would be replaced by the SHERBOURNE route. The photographer is unknown, although this was likely a TTC photograph that was preserved as a slide in the 1960s by Robert McMann using high quality Nikon lenses. This image comes to us courtesy the John F. Bromley collection.

TTC C-2 Class ex-TRC car #2006 sits in George Street Yard on October 16, 1949, about to be scrapped. The photographer is unknown, and the photo is from the Dave Shaw collection.

A rear view of TTC C2-class ex-TRC car #2006 at George Street Yard on October 16, 1949. The photographer is unknown and the photo is from the Dave Shaw collection.

TTC ex-TRC car #2064 found a new life as a private home for a Mr. Roy Burt west of Georgetown Ontario. This image was snapped by James Victor Salmon in July 1951. The image is courtesy the Toronto Archives.

TTC ex-TRC car #2104 sits at Lansdowne carhouse after serving on the DOVERCOURT streetcar, along with other ex-TRC cars, and ex-Civic Railway car #2128, in July 1939. The photo is by James Victor Salmon and is courtesy the Toronto Archives.

Here we see the interior of ex-TRC car #2104 as it sits in Lansdowne Carhouse in this 1939 shot. The photographer is James Victor Salmon and the image is courtesy the Toronto Archives.

TTC C2-class ex-TRC car #2106 rests at Russell Carhouse on July 15, 1949. Beside it is air-electric PCC #4083 and Peter Witt car #2504. On the left is Witt trailer #2987. In another two years, car #2106 would be heading for the scrap heap. The photographer is unknown, and the photograph is from the Dave Shaw collection.

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